Explore the Family Name Petra
The meaning of Petra
1. Catalan: habitational name from Petra in Majorca, an important place during the 16th and 17th centuries. This surname, which is very rare in Spain, is also found in Mexico. 2. Romanian: from the personal name Petra, feminine form of Petru ‘Peter’. 3. Italian: from the personal name Petra, feminine form of Petro, a dialect form of Pietro ‘Peter’. 4. Italian: topographic name from the vocabulary word petra, a variant of pietra ‘stone, rock’. 5. In some cases also an American shortened form (and Greek feminine form, denoting ‘the daughter, or wife of’) of Greek Petras. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Joaquin, Jorge, Juanita, Marta, Rubio, Teodora.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Petra in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Petra has seen a slight decline in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Petra was ranked 61,855th in terms of popularity among surnames, and by 2010, it dropped to 72,105th, marking a 16.57% decrease. The number of individuals carrying this surname also diminished from 303 to 270 during this period, signifying a 10.89% drop. The proportion of people named Petra per 100,000 also fell from 0.11 to 0.09.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #61,855 | #72,105 | -16.57% |
| Count | 303 | 270 | -10.89% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.11 | 0.09 | -18.18% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Petra
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Petra also experienced some changes between 2000 and 2010, as per Decennial U.S. Census data. While there were no recorded instances of the name among the Asian/Pacific Islander community in 2000, by 2010, they made up 3.7% of those bearing the surname. The percentage of individuals identifying as two or more races decreased from 2.97% to 1.85%. However, the percentage of Whites increased slightly from 79.54% to 81.85%. The Hispanic community saw a decrease in the usage of the surname, dropping from 15.18% to 10.74%. There were no recorded instances of the Petra surname within both the Black community and the American Indian and Alaskan Native communities in either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 79.54% | 81.85% | 2.9% |
| Hispanic | 15.18% | 10.74% | -29.25% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 3.7% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 2.97% | 1.85% | -37.71% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |